Defeatism is not a person. It is the habit of mind that says we will lose before the work is even done — expecting failure, talking as if success is impossible, and sometimes helping that failure along by giving up early.

Defeatism is not a personDefeatism不是一個人。 It is the habit of mind它是一種心態習慣 that says we will lose before the work is even done在事情還沒做之前就認定我們會輸 — expecting failure預期失敗, talking as if success is impossible講話的口氣好像成功不可能, and sometimes helping that failure along by giving up early有時候還會因為太早放棄，反而幫忙加速了那個失敗。

A person who lives in that mind is a defeatist; the -ism is the attitude.

A person who lives in that mind is a defeatist活在那種心態裡的人叫做defeatist; the -ism is the attitude-ism指的是那種態度本身。

The modern word took its punch around 1915 from French défaitisme, when writers needed a name for accepting (or even wanting) your own side's defeat.

The modern word took its punch around 1915這個現代用法大約在一九一五年 from French défaitisme從法文的défaitisme借力而來, when writers needed a name for accepting當時作者需要一個字，來稱呼接受 (or even wanting)（甚至希望） your own side's defeat自己一方戰敗這件事。

Today people use it more loosely, for any gloomy what's the point? mood at work, in sport, or in class.

Today people use it more loosely現在人們用得比較寬鬆, for any gloomy用來指任何那種低落 what's the point?「這樣做有什麼意義？」的 mood at work, in sport, or in class心情，可能出現在工作、運動，或上課時。

It is usually a criticism: nobody likes to be told they are spreading defeatism.

It is usually a criticism這通常是一種批評: nobody likes to be told they are spreading defeatism沒有人喜歡被說自己在散播defeatism。